Madagascar Calls for Better Concerted Strategies to Achieve a More Prosperous and Resilient SADC
The 45th SADC Summit (#SADC2025) in Tana concluded quite late in the evening of the 17th of August 2025 with a number of key resolutions summarized in the Joint Communique. Out of the 16 member states, 7 were represented at the highest level by the Head of State or Government. DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi bumped into agenda conflict and canceled his trip at the last minute.
The Executive Secretary of #SADC Elias Magosi, from Botswana, has been re-elected for a new mandate. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa formally passed the baton to the Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina for 2025-2026. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been designated as next in line to assume the chairship of SADC for 2026-2027.
“The time for dependency is over … we must reaffirm our sovereignty. The time for reflection is over … we must deploy a concerted strategy. The time for hesitation is over … we must accelerate with bold and effective moves.”
Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina
In his keynote address, President Rajoelina called for greater solidarity and unity among SADC member countries. Faced with #AGAO expiring this September 2025 and US tariffs driven by the #AmericaFirst policy, SADC has no choice but to come together and ‘speak with one voice.’
The theme for the Summit is “Promoting #industrialization, agricultural modernization and the energy transition for a resilient SADC” and it will permeate throughout Madagascar’s chairship. Indeed, Madagascar believes that the rich mineral and agricultural resources of SADC are currently not sufficiently leveraged to bring about a better livelihood to the local population.
On the #EnergyTransition front, Madagascar is in the process of implementing the120-MW Volobe hydropower plant which will help power the industrialization with renewable energy. It is worth recalling that one of the world’s largest hydropower project is the 80-GW Grand Inga Dam in DR Congo which has recently received seed funding from the World Bank. Moreover, #CriticalMinerals essential to #decarbonization are found in abundance in SADC. In that regard, SADC commended Tanzania for hosting the #M300 African Energy Summit in January 2025.
On the theme of regional integration, SADC commended Zimbabwe, Seychelles and Mauritius for taking the lead to facilitate the movement of people within SADC thanks to visa-free travel. The North-South Corridor (#NSC) and SADC Maritime Corridor are set to emerge as drivers for economic growth and will give a substantial boost to intra-SADC trade. Furthermore, SADC must leverage the geostrategic location of its island and continental states in order to further integrate and uplift SADC member states into the Global Value Chain (#GVC).
Moreover, SADC expressed concern regarding the instability in DR Congo and Mozambique. Without peace and security, a country or a region cannot fully focus on its socio-economic development. Therefore, SADC urges countries to negotiate a peaceful settlement so that the economic engine can run at full speed.
On a long-term perspective, SADC is committed to carry out its Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and to realize its Vision 2050. Therefore, to accelerate the implement the aforementioned programs, the Summit called for the prompt establishment of the SADC Development Fund as a Special Purpose Vehicle (#SPV).
